What changes on January 1, 2026?
The new Dutch Energy Act (Energiewet) fundamentally changes how grid operators prioritize new connections and manage the grid capacity queue.
The most important change
Small consumer connections will no longer receive automatic priority. This means housing projects, commercial real estate, area developments, municipal facilities, and small-to-medium connections face the same queue as large industrial users.
What this means in practice
- Longer waiting times for all connection sizes
- Greater uncertainty in project planning
- Increased risk of project delays
The opportunity: congestion-mitigating measures
The new law also introduces an important counterbalance: projects that demonstrably help relieve the grid may be connected earlier. Congestion-mitigating measures — deploying a battery, applying flexible assets, using the grid flexibly via a flex contract — can reduce grid load and result in priority or additional connection capacity.
Energy as a prerequisite
Energy is no longer a technical detail but a prerequisite for speed, feasibility, and viability of construction and development projects. Early energy planning with flexibility built in is now essential.
Contact Skoon to discuss how the new Energy Act affects your project and what you can do today.